This Is My Choice Today

Please exercise your right to vote today. It is a precious, hard won privilege.
It is also a Secret Ballot - so how you vote is a private matter.
I have thought a lot, and prayed hard about where I will place my cross. 
But this week I remembered what I blogged back in January, what I wanted for this year.

However hard it may seem, in the light of recent events, I choose these same things today...

I choose to have the courage to speak out for what is true and just
I choose to have the strength to stop and help those in need, not pass by on the other side
I choose to have the faith to say 'this is wrong, and we can work to change it for the better'
I choose to have the hope that believes things will be different
and above all
I choose to have the love that says 'OK, you are different from me in some way - but I still care about you, and want the best for you'

And I pray that those elected to Parliament today will be men and women who seek to make similar choices, whichever party they belong to.